The ELINET Association is a network of European literacy professionals, based on individual membership.
We have a network of over 40 researchers from 16 countries. 

See here the welcome video from our current chairperson, Winnie-Karen Giera.

It is the follow-up of the ELINET project, which consisted of 80 partner organizations from 28 European countries and was funded with 3 Mio Euro by the European Commission from 2014 to 2016. If you are interested in the background and history of the ELINET project, go to the Background & History page.

Vision

ELINET’s vision is that everyone in Europe shall be literate. People of all ages, regardless of social class, religion, ethnicity and gender, are provided with the necessary resources and opportunities to develop sufficient and sustainable literacy skills and knowledge to effectively understand and use written communication in print and digital media. The term ‘literacy’ covers reading, writing, oral communication, digital literacy, and language for the inclusion of refugee and migrant populations.

Objectives

1. to improve and advocate literacy policies and practices across Europe to support all European citizens’ and residents’ lifelong rights to engage critically and creatively with communication and learning (see ELINET’s European Declaration of the Right to Literacy)
2. to build and maintain a network of literacy experts (researchers, practitioners and policymakers)
3. to provide a communication platform to strengthen and foster collaboration and cooperation between different stakeholders in the field of literacy promotion.

Organization 2023-2025

The General Assembly (GA) is the association’s highest organ, which decides on all affairs of the association.
The Executive Committee (EC), called the Board, prepares the decisions. Board Members are the chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and six chairpersons of the Task Groups (TGs).

The Task Groups are responsible for the association’s activities. They are new, arranged since the last board meeting in November 2023. TGs are tasked with six main responsibilities: (1) External Communication, and networking, (2) Internal Communication, (3) Web administration and Social Media, (4) Blogs & Dissemination of ELINET’s Work Results, (5) Webinars & Video Conferences, (6) Fundraising & Monitoring Calls.  
All ELINET members are encouraged to join a TG according to their expertise and thematic interest. 

The task groups replace the Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) that ELINET used before. For more information on TWGs and the former board members, visit the page Organization Elinet 2020-2023. 

Board Members 2023-2025 

• Winnie-Karen Giera, Germany (Chairperson)
• Sandra Langer, Germany (Secretary)
• Maria Lourdes de Dionísio, Portugal (Treasurer)
• Elissavet Chlapana, Greece (TG 1. External Communication, Networking)
• Laura Maria Schmidt, Germany (TG 2. Internal Communication)
• Jeroen Clemens, Netherlands, Netherlands (TG 3. Web administration and Social Media)
• Sari Sulkunen, Finland (TG 4. Blogs & Dissemination of ELINET’s Work Results)
• Aoife Ahern, Spain & Angela Colvert, UK (TG 5. Webinars & Video Conferences)
• Tiziana Mascia, Italy (TG 6. Fundraising & Monitoring Calls)

Main products (created by the ELINET project)

• European Declaration of the Right to Literacy
• Country reports & frame of reference
• Good Practice examples & framework
• Awareness raising tools
• Fundraising tools
• Research reports

Membership

Are you interested in literacy (research, practice and policy) in your country and Europe?  We invite you to join ELINET: On our Membership page, you will find the Statutes of our Association, information about annual membership fees and an online application form.